1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, system and method for performing an electrosurgical procedure. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus, system and method including a directional microwave antenna probe and a catheter that are configured to perform a microwave ablation procedure.
2. Description of Related Art
Microwave ablation procedures, e.g., such as those performed for menorrhagia, are typically done to ablate the targeted tissue to denature or kill the tissue. Many procedures and types of devices utilizing electromagnetic radiation therapy are known in the art. Such microwave therapy is typically used in the treatment of tissue and organs such as the prostate, heart, and liver. One non-invasive procedure generally involves the treatment of tissue (e.g., a tumor) underlying the skin via the use of microwave energy. Typically, microwave energy is generated by a power source, e.g., microwave generator, and transmitted to tissue via a microwave antenna that is fed with a coaxial cable that operably couples to a radiating section of the microwave antenna.
To treat the tissue, the radiating section of the microwave antenna may be positioned inside the tissue of interest, e.g., the tumor, and microwave energy may be radiated thereabout. Typically, the microwave energy radiates with no specific directionality pattern, i.e., the direction of the microwave energy is not controlled. For example, under certain surgical environments, the microwave energy may radiate radially outward in a generally spherical pattern. While this spherical pattern of microwave energy may be suitable for treating certain shapes and/or types of tissue specimens, e.g., tissue specimens that exhibit a generally spherical shape, under certain circumstances, this spherical pattern of microwave energy may not be suitable for treating other shapes and/or types of tissue specimens, such as, for example, in the instance where the tumor is elongated or otherwise shaped.